Art of Racing in the Rain 0ne More Time
by Ravyntree
Summary: 0ne more time, one more go 'round.. Two barks for faster, one for slower. Bark. Enjoy life, smell the flowers. Lack of a tail can wait for now.
1. Chapter 1

I smiled in my doggie way and let my tail swish from side to side. The motion hurt my hips, but I didn't care. It made Denny happy and what makes him happy makes me happy.

For as much sense as that makes.

Love is a silly, stupid thing.. But I do love that man, and just the smile on his face at the sight of me greeting him is enough for me to bear through the discomfort and sometimes downright painful process of making my tail wag. Humans don't have tails. I wonder what that will be like. I've had a tail all my life, and I was born knowing how to use it, so it will be strange expressing myself without it.

0f course, I'll have words then. Words and a thin, versatile tongue and thumbs.. oh yes, thumbs. I shall express myself with my thumbs in every way possible. Except for the ways humans use thumbs in a disrespectful way. I'll avoid those.

My dog tail slapped against the wall in a silly dog way as Denny crouched down to pet me. His eyes filled with tears and I shuffled forward, laying my chin on his shoulder. I let him wrap his arms around me and bury his face against my brittle coat.

It used to be soft and downy, when I was a pup. Then it grew into adult fur and now, in my old age, it is falling out and loosing its shine and luster. I'm an old dog, what can I say?

"Zo.." he moaned against my fur. My partially-deaf ears perked and swiveled to better hear him.

"What am I going to do, Zo?" Denny sat back, arms still clasped around my neck. I touched my nose to his cheek.

I didn't know what he was talking about, but my legs started to shake from the standing and I had to ease myself into a sit. Seventeen years is old for a dog. Much too old for me, but my spirit hadn't found all it came to. Not yet. I had a feeling though that soon it would be finished.. My body couldn't support me much longer, so I had to hurry and learn what I needed.

"She deserves better," Denny continued, eyes hazy with thought and hurt. I licked his face and my nose twitched at the salty taste.

"What do I do Enzo?" He looked at me again, frowning. I wished for the smile again, but I knew this was serious so I didn't employ any of my silly dog tricks.

He sighed and shook his head. I tilted mine as I tried to understand. Who is she? There are two shes in this house.. Which is he speaking of, and why? Can't be Eve. There's nothing wrong with her. Can't be my Zo. She's fine too. She's at school, right? Wait, no. It's Saturday. She should be home, watching cartoons with me.

My how my old dog brain is starting to slip.

I whimpered unhappily. I'm too old for these puzzle games.

Denny rubbed my head gently and played with my ears.

"She's sick Enzo.." He swallowed hard. "She's not coming home today."

That's right, he had taken her to the doctor that morning because.. I don't remember why. It was good enough reason for me to worry though. Then I took that nap and must have forgotten why..

"She's really sick… Its not a stomach virus Enzo."

I lowered my head slowly, feeling a sinking in my dog-but-human heart. How sick?

"She's not coming home anytime soon…"

I licked his arm gently and whimpered again. We were alone.. Eva had gone out sometime earlier for.. something, I don't remember what. Groceries? Maybe.

"Sick.. She needs something, Enzo. And I can't give it to her. 0ur types don't match. Eve's don't match either."

What does she need? What's a type again? I think I may know what he's talking about. It sounded like something I've heard on the television.

"She on a list now.." He shook his head and reached to brush his hair back. "This is all happening too fast.. I can't even think straight."

I know the feeling. I woofed softly to let him know I understood but didn't.

He rubbed my chin. "If only you could help Enzo.. I know you would in a second. You'd do anything for her."

I nodded. Yes, anything for that child.. I loved her.

Denny rose slowly and, after helping me to my feet, paced into the kitchen. I followed him slowly, stiffly.

"Don't stress yourself Zo," he said to me as he opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water, unscrewing the cap slowly.

I don't have the energy for stress.

He sat down to the table, setting the bottle down and not even drinking from it. I sat too and watched him tiredly, eventually sliding into a laying position. I must have drifted at some point because I remember vaguely someone rubbing my belly for me and calling me a good boy. I may have dreamed it though.

I don't remember being moved into that field. I just.. appeared there. It wasn't even like I woke up, either. I just suddenly… existed in the field.

It was strange.

I ran around the field because suddenly my hips didn't hurt anymore. Nothing hurt, everything felt wonderful.

"No.." A voice sobbed from somewhere distant. "Not him too.. Not now!"

Eve? I stopped and looked around. I couldn't see anything but beautiful, lush grass and flowers and butterflies for as far as the eye could take in. I must be hearing things. Something told me that Eve wasn't in that place. I kept running.

"Why now…?"

"He's old.. He was an old dog."

I stopped again, ears perked. Me, I'm an old dog. I don't feel old anymore, but I know it was me they were talking about.

Bu then the voices drifted away, like a distant wind had come suddenly and hurried them away from my place. I felt sad for a moment, but then I began to run and leap and dance in the beauty again.

Butterflies lighted on my shining coat and flew beside me as I darted around, barking twice again and again and again until the beauty was a blur to my eyes as I ran.

And it was beautiful indeed. If Denny could see me now, see how fast I go..

But he's not here. Nobody is. I'm alone in this beauty. And I suddenly realized that I was scared. I sat down and looked around and closed my eyes.

I'm not ready to die, but it's too late for that.

I'm not ready to be a human.


	2. Chapter 2

"No. We're not ready for another dog. We.. we just lost our dog a couple of months ago."

"Please.. He needs a home, I can't keep him. He's just a baby, all alone on the street.. I had to save him, and I thought maybe.."

Denny sighed as he looked at the puppy in Mike's arms. Just a tiny thing, squirming and crying, eyes barely open.

"He is small.."

"Just a baby," Mike repeated, holding the puppy out. Denny took him and sighed again at Mike to show his displeasure. But his gently fingers on the puppy's head said otherwise.

"Fine, I'll take him until we can find him a home. Maybe he'll cheer my daughter up.."

Mike nodded, grinning.

Denny closed the door and sat on the couch with the puppy. Eve walked in and looked at the dog in surprise.

"Where did that come from?"

"Mike found him on the streets. Wants me to keep him until he can find a home."

She walked over and sat beside Denny, peering down at the crying puppy.

"0h look, he's unhappy.. Such a little thing, do you think he's alright?"

"I'm sure he's just scared. Let's take him to see Zoë."

Denny carried the puppy upstairs and into the girl's bedroom. She looked up from her dinner tray and television show, face pale but very much alive.

"What's that?"

"Puppy. Mike needs to find a home for it so I said we'd watch it until he finds someone."

She moved her tray aside and reached for the puppy. Denny set him in her lap and stepped back to where Eve stood, watching quietly.

Zoë rubbed the tiny puppy's head and smiled.

"He's cute. This mark on his chest kinds looks like Enzo's."

I opened my eyes and, with the strength in my feeble neck, lifted my head to look up at the human girl holding me. Such a pretty girl. She smelled of suckness, but sickness going away, not growing worse. I squeeked with my doggie vocal cords and felt as if somehow I'd longed to make a different sound. I wagged my tiny puppy tail and somehow had a brief thought of not having one.

What strange thoughts. I'm a dog, what else would I have?

None, that's what.

But… but I wasn't ready.

I squeeked a puppy yip again. Not ready for what? I don't remember.

But perhaps someday I will.


End file.
